Does your pet have an unlucky name?

Colin Ainscough

If you have a pampered pet named Bruno then you’d better beware – it’s just been crowned the unluckiest pet name in the UK!

Hapless hounds and unfortunate felines named Bruno are nearly SIX times more likely to be the subject of pet insurance claims than pets named Luna – which is the nation’s luckiest name*, according to research carried out by PDSA Petsurance.

Claims made for calamitous canines named Bruno include everything from emergency treatment for injuries such as those caused by playing fetch with sticks and eating things they shouldn’t, to serious diseases such as cancer and lifelong illnesses like epilepsy.

Also on the ill-fated unlucky list were pets called Cassie, Henry, Tia and Buster, who were all up to five times more likely to be the subject of pet insurance claims than lucky Luna. At the more fortunate end of the scale, Luna was joined by Olly, Skye, Freddie, Coco and Paddy in being the least likely to need an insurance claim.

Richard Hooker, PDSA’s Director of Veterinary Services, said: “It’s a mystery why pets named Bruno seem to have an unfair share of misfortune. The difference between their insurance claim rates and pets called Luna is baffling. Clearly, any pet can be involved in an accident or become ill so, whatever your pet is called, taking out pet insurance is the best way to protect them and avoid unwanted vet’s bills.”

The average insurance claim for pets is £440.01, although this rises to £625.51 for third party claims for damage**. Claims can include everything from traumatic injuries due to traffic accidents, falls and fighting, to surgical removal of objects pets have eaten, including tennis balls, socks and even sunglasses!

Richard added: “Even the most well-trained dog or home-loving cat can get into plenty of mischief, landing you with an unexpected trip to the vets. Illnesses can also strike without warning, and some diseases such as diabetes, epilepsy and heart disease can require life-long treatment.”

Unlucky pets – the facts

The rankings were calculated by comparing the number of claims made against the total number of policies for each name. For example, for every pet named Bruno there were two claims over a four-year period, while for every pet named Luna there were just 0.3 claims in the same period.